Police identify driver who fled after striking power pole in Beach Flats

SANTA CRUZ -- Police on Sunday identified the man driving a pickup that struck a power pole in Beach Flats on Saturday, knocking out power to thousands of customers in downtown Santa Cruz, the Seabright area and elsewhere.

The driver of the white GMC truck and a passenger allegedly fled the scene after the truck struck a sign, a fence and then sheered off the pole at its base near Third and Kaye streets along the levee, police said.

Officers found the driver near the crash scene, shortly after the 8 p.m. accident, with the help of witnesses who were pointing him out, Lt. Colleen McMahon said.

Jose Mejia, 19, of Aromas was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, fleeing police and giving false information to officers, McMahon said.

His 18-year-old passenger, also from Aromas, was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence, she said.

The accident left some 12,000 PG&E customers in the dark; the vast majority were back with power Saturday night, PG&E said.

Streets in the area were closed as well, some until Sunday afternoon, as several utility crews worked to replace the pole and equipment. Police were directing traffic near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on Sunday, where Beach Street was closed just beyond the Boardwalk's parking lot entrance.

Editor's note: The pole was hit at Third and Kaye streets. The location was incorrect in an earlier version of this article.